Semi-compliant joining mechanism for semiconductor cooling applications

US7301773B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Cooligy, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Richard Grant Brewer · Palo Alto, US
• Paul Tsao · Los Altos, US
• Richard A. Herms · Loomis, US
• Mark Munch · Los Altos Hills, US
• Mark McMaster · Menlo Park, US
• Dave Corbin · Los Altos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 20, 2004
• Grant date: Nov 27, 2007
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/0002
• WIPO field: Semiconductors
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A heat collection apparatus is mounted to the heat source using a gimbal plate, which includes a gimbal joint. The gimbal joint enables application of a retaining force to the heat collection apparatus as a single-point load. The retaining force is applied along a vector that is collinear to the face-centered normal vector of the thermal interface of the heat source. This results in a balanced and centered application of the retaining force over the thermal interface area. The gimbal plate is mounted directly to a circuit board using spring means. The spring means regulate the amount of mating force directed through the gimbal joint to the heat collection device. Because the gimbal joint is rotation-compliant, the two mating faces making up the thermal interface are forced into a parallel mate. In this manner, a high performance TIM interface is generated.